The Lair of The Reap
by Miasma-Shadow
Summary: The Darkspawn Disciple finally comes face to face with the Wardens.


Reap was alone. At least, there were no other Darkspawn in his Lair. His Lair was secret. Not even the pesky Builder knew were he hid. The Warden's had been granted special dispensation because he had been toying with them for so long. Brave, interesting Wardens were these. Tougher than he had thought but stronger than he had hoped.

The Lair was simple, he had no reason to be elaborate here. It was easier to guard that way. His wards told him of magical intrusions and his beasties... well they tended to eat what came too close to Reap. Not today though! Not yet. The Warden's were his guests. He wanted to speak with them before he obliterated them. He had so much to share!

A huge table laden with all manner of disgusting 'food' awaited his guests of honour, placed in the centre of the relatively sparse cave which was illuminated by the rays of sunlight peaking through the high ceiling. Actual sunlight. Reap liked the sun even if it hurt his eyes and so he had burrowed near the surface. His new magic (given to him by the one in Tevinter) stopped his corruption from going topside, thus it was undetectable. Just like when he wore the mask.

The Reap sat at the head of the table, gnawing on what looked disturbingly like a human limb. The closer they looked at the table they would see that scattered amongst the horrible dishes were other...human and elven parts. Even a dwarven head or two.

For hours he had known they were closing in but he acted surprised when he saw them enter. Putting the half eaten limb down his already gruesome grin widened further showing his black and yellow, blood and flesh encrusted teeth.

"Welcome! Wardens! Come, join me at my table! Share hearth and food!" Braziers and torches lit at his command and suddenly the natural sunlight was challenged by the glows of coloured fire. The myriad of hues danced across the cavern, giving the already macabre scene an eerie quality.

"And don't try and shoot the host yet, elf or dwarf." A barrier seemed to shimmer around him, some kind of Fade shield having been conjured. "All I want to do is talk." Then I will eat you, he thought darkly. Either me or my beasties. They hunger for Warden flesh...

With a dramatic swooping of his arm he pulled all four Warden's into the room and towards the table, chairs moving out to catch them. Once they were all seated he smiled... again...

"You are probably wondering why you are still alive? Well. Let's just say I love you too much to kill you yet. Yes? Also, I want you to know the extent of your failure before you meet your Maker, Creators or Ancestors respectfully." He looked at Jaden, puzzled. "What are you boy? Elf blooded? Not entirely human. Such a shame. I was hoping for the pair." He grinned at Rayne, his gaze crawling over her. "You would have made a beautiful Mother but alas... you are corrupted." He said with a dramatic sigh, waving the half eaten limb he had retrieved the elf's way, "You, you look rather serious and I sense you are closer to your Calling, well... you are all equally close since you won't be leaving here alive. Anyway, tell me elf. Why so serious?" The Reap's gaze bore into Lerun. He did not like the elf at all. Dalish were troublesome. Tricksey. Fast.

Then of course there was the bane of his people. The disgusting dwarves. He ignored her. He had hoped she would die before they got here. She reminded him too much of his own diminutive form. Genlock and dwarf, two halves of the same coin. He shuddered at the thought. He hated the fact his Mother had once been as this Warden. She even looked like his mother. He hated his mother. He had eaten her. She had tasted like bronto.

"Serious? Nay, rather name me satisfied. Tis rare I may look down upon my foe from sitting." Said the nasty elf. Reap wanted to eat him first. The not-human said something as well but The Reap was too busy smirking at the elf to hear him.

The Reap found it easy to ignore the whining not human since the elf was far more interesting and his insult hit far too close to home. The elf was struggling though, his corruption was rampant, his Calling possibly close. How close even the Reap could not tell. Only dear Razikale knew that.

"What clan are you elf? Maybe I raped your sister? Or your lover perhaps? 'Tis possible she birthed one of my Shrieks. Would you like to see her? There is a Den not too far from here..." Ah yes, the Den. One was lost to them but that was why there were two! The smaller had been destroyed by the pesky Hunters (who had all died in the effort! Stupid Wardens!) but due west of the shack where the Crow had been sacrificed was another taint infested part of the Deep. That was a secret though, but what harm would it be to boast? They were dying soon anyway...

"Tis strange you did not sense it yourself, Warden's, you were not far from it when you first picked up my trail. Your sisters, mothers and lovers are taken there and raped and raped until all they are good for is giving me my children. They are more beautiful than they ever were even I do not want to eat them!" He cackled again, then gnawed on the limb he was still eating, tearing a long, sinewy piece of flesh from the bone.

"Val Royeaux will not know what hit it. A host under its feet and another driving down from Tevinter..."

Had he said too much? Perhaps he had. No matter, they were dying, no one would ever know of The Reap's foolish boasts!

Still angry at the elf's short joke he tossed the half eaten, bloodied limb at his head and clapped when it pasted the elf's face in crimson ichor and fell in his lap. Jumping out of his chair he skirted around the table then looked up into the elf's face. His red eyes bore into the Dalish, hatred burning within. Then, placing his rotten lips near Lerun's ear he said, "You hear the call, do you not? I do not miss the Song, I thought I did once then I found a new Song, one more glorious than the last!"

Then to the rest of them he said, "Tevinter's Song will be heard all throughout Thedas, but Orlais shall sing to it first. What was taken in the name of the Maker will be torn asunder. The Imperium shall rule again and the Darkspawn shall be given the Deep Roads, the thaigs, the cities, ALL!" He cackled again, fairly sure he was not supposed to be saying any of this. But what did it matter? His friends would be here soon. The message was sent. The army would soon be marching! And then there was the Den! The beautiful, Reaper's Den! Even the Builder did not know about that... well, as long as The Reap lived his magic obscured it from the hateful Disciple - and even if he died the Warden's could not sense it (oh wait, that was why they did not know, not just because they are stupid! His magic hid it, and always would, haha!). TRAITOR SPAWN! Speaking treacherous words of old.

What did he build anyway? The Reap reaped, reaped what others had sown, but did the Builder Build? NO! All he did was talk about that blasted Bri-

Ahhhh... his friends had come. All three of them. This was going to be fun.

"I will play more fair than before." He announced, his lie masking the sound of the approaching beasties. He skipped away and found a high perch which was warded and where he could play puppeteer and throw fireballs. He liked fire (which was odd for a Darkspawn, but the Reap was rather odd on many levels). All right, maybe not fire, his beasties did not like fire after all. Just as he reached his vantage point his paralysis spell expired. There would be no more hexing of that kind, he had not the time or energy to spare for it. Neither did he want it really. Better that they fought and died! Always better to see them lose...

"One of my friends you have met a part of before, however..." Behind each of the now non paralysed Wardens an Arcana Horror shimmered into being. "These honoured guests want your places at my table!"

As he screamed his announcement two trolls (only two friends for now...yes) burst into the Lair and the Party finally began!


End file.
